The Cyclist’s Touring Club (CTC) in Devon organise a range of rides in the Exeter Area.
Sunday rides all start at 10:00 am at a range of locations on the outskirts of Exeter. They ride to a nominated 'elevenses' stop arriving at about 11.00 am. This break lasts 45-60 minutes. At this point newcomers can choose whether to return to the start or continue to a lunch stop. The Easy riders normally average 8-12 mph and the Hard riders average 14-16 mph. The Easy riders will cover distances of 20-40 miles and the Hard riders 35-70 miles. Some Combined rides are organised which are managed to accommodate both Easy and Hard riders.
Most people with an active background (e.g. jogging or swimming) will find that they are comfortable with the Hard Group. People who have been less active might prefer to start with the Easy Group.
Over half of the Hard riders have gone on to complete Audax events of 100 or 200 km length. Audaxes are organised rides in which participants have to complete a nominated route within set time limits – checks are made to ensure that they complete the course. Such rides are ideal preparation for the increasingly popular cyclosportifs.
Most CTC riders are interested in leisure and social cycling rather than racing. If you are interested in racing you might wish to contact Exeter Wheelers, the Sid Valley Cycling Club, Exmouth's CS Dynamo, or the Mid Devon Cycling Club.
During the lighter summer evenings short rides are arranged from the Quayside in Exeter (outside Saddles & Paddles) starting at 6:30 pm. The rides head to local pubs with time for a meal and a drink before returning.
On Thursday mornings local riders meet at a nominated coffee stop, normally between 10:30 and 11:30. There is no organised ride as such but often riders will group up, either to ride to the coffee stop, or to return home. These meetings offer the opportunity to meet local riders with a range of abilities.